The head of Germany's conservative CDU party wants to hold a debate on whether opinions expressed online ahead of elections should face regulation. The idea has sparked an outcry, with critics warning of censorship.
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Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who is often referred to by the initials AKK, the leader of Germany's ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is facing heavy criticism after proposing a debate on the regulation of political views on the internet during election campaigns.
"What would actually happen in this country if, say, 70 newspapers decided just two days before the election to make the joint appeal: 'Please don't vote for the CDU and SPD'?" Kramp-Karrenbauer, Chancellor Angela Merkel's successor as CDU leader, said in Berlin. "That would have been a clear case of political bias before the election."
Kramp-Karrenbauer said there were important questions to be addressed, including "what are the rules that apply to opinions in the analog sphere? And which rules should apply in the digital sphere?"
These are questions "we will discuss — not just in the CDU ... rather, I'm certain, they'll play a role in discussions surrounding media policy and democracy in the future."
European Parliament election results: The main countries at a glance
Pro-EU forces took nearly two-thirds of seats in the European Parliament, countering a populist surge in most countries. Nevertheless, euroskeptics fared well in France and Brexit-ridden Britain, among other countries.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/F. Seco
Italy: Populist surge continues
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's far-right League took 33.6% of the vote, a jump from the 17% claimed by the anti-immigration party in 2018 national elections. The results may change the balance of power in the League's fragile coalition with 5-Star, which slumped to 16.6% compared to with 32% in national elections last year. The opposition Democratic Party won 23.5%.
Image: AFP/M. Medina
Spain: Traditional parties buck trend and bounce back
Unlike much of the continent, Spain's traditional center-left and center-right parties enjoyed a renaissance. The governing Socialists picked up 33% of the vote. That makes the PSOE the strongest social democrat delegation in the European Parliament. The conservative, pro-EU Popular Party won 20%, while Ciudadanos took 12.2%. The new far-right Vox party took only 6.2%; Podemos barely cracked 10%.
Image: Reuters/S. Vera
Germany: Main parties suffer losses, Greens surge
Angela Merkel's CDU and its CSU ally won 28% of the vote, down 7 points from 2014. The Social Democrats continued to plunge, dropping 11 points to only 15.6%. The Greens emerged a real winner, doubling their support from the last polls to 20.7%. The euroskeptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured 10.6% percent, a notable dip from its 2017 general election performance.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/T. Schwarz
France: Len Pen on top, but most seats to pro-EU parties
Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) claimed first place overall, but RN's 23.5% of the vote represented a slight loss of support compared to 2014. The En Marche-led coalition won 22.5%, closer to Le Pen than polls had predicted. The Republicans and Socialists, France's traditional heavyweights, continued their political collapse, while the Greens jumped to third.
Image: Reuters/C. Platiau
UK: Brexit Party first, Conservatives and Labour punished
Britain emerged from the vote polarized as it tries to leave the EU by October. Nigel Farage's Brexit Party took first place with 31.7%, although the pro-EU Liberal Democrats also enjoyed a surge in support. Both the Conservatives and Labour were hammered, receiving 8.7% and 14%, respectively. The UK's latest batch of MEPs will vacate the European Parliament if the country leaves the EU.
Image: picture-alliance/ZUMA Press/R. Tang
Hungary: Fidesz strong in polls, seeking a group in parliament
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told supporters that his Fidesz party, which won 13 of Hungary's 21 seats in the EU Parliament, "will cooperate with everyone who wants to stop immigration." Fidesz was suspended from the EPP bloc over the deterioration in the rule of law in Hungary. Orban did not address speculation that Fidesz could join Italy's Matteo Salvini's far-right bloc, the ENF.
Image: Reuters/B. Szabo
The Netherlands: Socialists win, anti-EU parties lose ground
Frans Timmermans, the center-left Socialist and Democrats (S&D) bloc's top candidate, led his PvdA party to the top spot in the Netherlands with 19% of the vote. He's called for progressive parties in the EU Parliament such as the Liberals, Greens and Socialist to work together. The Netherlands' two right-wing populist parties secured a combined 15% of the vote.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/D. Aydemir
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How critics responded
Kramp-Karrenbauer's comments have provoked a backlash from opposition politicians.
"I don't think that AKK should blame others for the CDU [election] result," said Green Party MP Katrin Göring-Eckardt. "Those who don't take the climate crisis seriously will lose out."
"AKK is considering the regulation of expression of opinions before elections," Christian Lindner, the head of the pro-business Free Democrats, wrote on Twitter.
"I can hardly believe it. On the contrary, we need more open debate, especially on social media," he said.
"The statement from CDU chair AKK today about comments from influencers is an unprecedented attack on freedom of opinion," Left Party MP Niema Movassat tweeted. "This is unacceptable, and she should resign immediately."
Georg Pazderski of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party accused the CDU leader of floating the idea of "censorship of the internet," out of fear that the CDU will suffer further defeats in upcoming state elections in eastern Germany.
Kramp-Karrenbauer responded to the criticism later Monday, saying it was "absurd to accuse me of wanting to regulate expression of opinion."
"Freedom of opinion is a valuable asset in a democracy. But what we need to talk about are the rules that apply during an election campaign," she said.
